Comment

Representation ID: 933

Received: 19/10/2010

Respondent: Environment Agency

Issue DM4: Question 21
Development should use the lowest carbon energy production technologies and reduce inefficiencies in the energy supply to minimise carbon dioxide emissions. Decentralised energy networks could provide the lowest carbon solution. Supply infrastructure and buildings should be adaptable to future innovative technologies.

Low carbon producing technologies

Assess the development to examine whether community scale systems for energy, heating and cooling would be more efficient than relying on centralised supply or micro-generation.

Efficient Energy Production and Supply

Community energy systems for heating and cooling allow primary energy resources to be processed, distributed and used more efficiently than generation at either a centralised or micro scale. However, it is possible that power may be most efficiently produced from a centralised location. Waste that cannot be recycled or reused should be used for energy recovery. An assessment should be made at a strategic scale as to whether there are sufficient quantities of non-recyclable waste to support energy from waste facilities. Industrial symbiosis should be encouraged between neighbouring developments to improve resource efficiency. This symbiosis is the trade of materials, energy, heat, water and other by-products.

Please see recommendation ERE3 on Page 23 of our Thames Gateway Environmental Standards for more info.